Bush withdraws Sanborn nomination for Maritime Administration

Bush withdraws Sanborn nomination for Maritime Administration President Bush Monday withdrew his nomination of David C. Sanborn
to lead the U.S. Maritime Administration.
      Sanborn’s nomination became a casualty of the Washington firestorm
that developed over Dubai Ports World’s attempts to acquire the U.S.
terminal operations of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
as part of a $6.8 billion deal. Sanborn is DP World’s director of
operations in Europe and Latin America.
      United Arab Emirates-owned DP World completed its purchase of P&O
on March 8, but was met with fierce Congressional opposition,
claiming UAE’s ties to terrorism and fearing losing control over U.S.
terminals to a foreign entity. DP World agreed March 9 to divest
itself of the U.S. part of the deal, which represented less than 10
percent of P&O’s total terminal operations. DP World’s caveat is that
it does not lose money on the U.S. ports sale, and has placed its
sale price at $750 million.
      Sanborn’s nomination to replace former Maritime Administrator
William Schubert, was sent to the Senate Jan. 18.
      Announcement of Bush’s withdrawal of Sanborn as MarAd
administrator was buried at the bottom of a press release from the
administration’s Press Secretary Scott McClellan Monday, noting
nominations and withdrawals sent to the Senate.